Shawna Posted February 25, 2018 Report Share Posted February 25, 2018 Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this symptom? I have tried deep breathing, tapping, and self-talk...my last resort is always an ativan and a 911 call - The emt's know me well. Some days I can control the adrenaline/panic that always seems to accompany my rapid beats, others I am convinced I'm going to die. HELP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica_ Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 I can relate to this SOO much! This is definitely my worst symptom. I read somewhere that touching something ice cold helps calm the attack down, I tried it with my last attack and it helped but I’ve only tried this once so who knows. The only thing that helps me to get an attack to stop is my beta blocker (Propanolol). I have found that anxiety plays a huge part so if I know I’m going to be in a place where I’m prone to have anxiety or an attack I will take a Propanolol as a precaution and also Pharma-GABA. GABA helps to keep me calm and it’s over the counter. If anyone else finds a cure for these attacks spill the beans because these are terrifying and life altering! Just know you aren’t alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted February 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 I've researched GABA also - Has anyone ever tried the accupressure points to calm an attack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 I take a beta blocker which seems to help, generally. Taking fluids also help me at least a little when I have an episode of very high hr. I know for me too, it can be a negative feedback loop bc the high heart rate can cause anxiety. There are breathing exercises that can help some people. I did biofeedback for awhile which I found useful. Breathing from the belly rather than from the chest for example, can reduce adrenaline release. One way to make your body do this is to lie on your back with arms, resting, above your head. I've see the suggestion of ice but never tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebonnet08 Posted February 27, 2018 Report Share Posted February 27, 2018 I get IVs once a week. It reduces the frequency of the attacks and decreases the HR if I do have one. However, it hasn't taken them away completely and it seems to have gotten worse in the 3rd trimester of my pregnancy. I was told by a doctor to chug water as soon as you feel an attack coming on (1-2 cups), lie down and ELEVATE the feet. This means getting them fairly high. These techniques have decreased the length of my attacks. I also use a fitbit to monitor my HR and I set a timer on my phone because the episodes usually only last 10 minutes, so I focus on getting through it. But, it's absolutely horrible. I really suffer with them and my pregnancy has made it worse. Before I got pregnant, a test found that I had undetectable levels of vasopressin. I wonder if this is a factor in my POTS and attacks. I am going to look into more treatments after I give birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted February 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2018 Thank you all so much for your suggestions - I appreciate you taking your time to help me. I think the hardest part is logically knowing what they are but still freaking out and thinking my heart will stay stuck in that horrid rapid rhythm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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